|Número de publicación||US4775858 A|
|Tipo de publicación||Concesión|
|Número de solicitud||US 06/771,245|
|Fecha de publicación||4 Oct 1988|
|Fecha de presentación||30 Ago 1985|
|Fecha de prioridad||10 Oct 1984|
|También publicado como||DE3534205A1, DE3534205C2|
|Número de publicación||06771245, 771245, US 4775858 A, US 4775858A, US-A-4775858, US4775858 A, US4775858A|
|Inventores||Alan L. Stapleton, George W. Catlow|
|Cesionario original||Quantel Limited|
|Exportar cita||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Citas de patentes (13), Otras citas (2), Citada por (22), Clasificaciones (18), Eventos legales (6)|
|Enlaces externos: USPTO, Cesión de USPTO, Espacenet|
This invention relates to improvements in video image creation systems.
In the system shown in FIG. 1 and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,818 (U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,818) a video image may be created which resembles closely a picture created using conventional materials. The operator may choose a colour and notional implement by using a keyboard 1 and then by `drawing` on a touch tablet 2 with a stylus an image is caused to appear on the TV colour monitor display 8. Choosing an implement and colour causes digital signals representing a luminance or chrominance distribution for a group of points adjacent to the designated picture points to be loaded into RAM 4 and causes digital signals representing three components of the chosen colour (at some reference luminance level) to be loaded into RAM 5. The three colour components in this example are Y, I and Q and the respective RAMs are denoted by the suffices A, B and C. Each RAM has a number of storage locations representing a sequence of picture points sufficient in number to represent the maximum area of distribution of the implements which can be chosen.
When a picture point is designated on the touch tablet by contact of the stylus, the address generator 9 derives signals representing the addresses of a square of storage locations in three frame stores 7A, 7B and 7C, provided respectively for the three colour components Y, I and Q. The size of the square corresponds to the sequence of locations in the RAMs 4 and 5, and the addresses generated by the address generator 9 are such as to locate the square at a position in the frame, determined from the co-ordinates of the point touched by the stylus.
For example, the address generator 9 and computer 3 may translate the co-ordinates to a corner of the patch. As each location in the square is addressed in the frame store 7A, 7B and 7C the corresponding locations are addressed in the RAM 4 and 5. For each point touched by the stylus there is read previously stored video signals for the respective square of storage locations and at the same time there is read the colour component signals from RAM 5A, 5B and 5C, and the distribution signals from RAM 4. The outputs are processed in processor 6A, 6B and 6C on a picture point by picture point basis with the digital signal information stored in the frame store 7 for each respective picture point.
In each processor the respective colour component signal is multiplied by the distribution signal read from the RAM 4 and the product combined in a predetermined way with the corresponding video signal from the frame stores 7A, 7B and 7C to produce a new video signal which is then written into the respective location in the frame store.
In this way each new picture point designated by the stylus is made up of a portion of the stored, as well as the incoming video information. Each distribution is for a patch of picture points adjacent the point designated by the touch tablet and stylus. The image is displayed on display 8.
The system can be set so that other information may be introduced to vary the picture point video signals. For example the pressure of the stylus on the touch tablet may be taken into account or the length of time the stylus is held over a point by providing that signal representing the pressure or length of time are used as multiplying factors for the colour component signals in RAMs 5. A facility for `blurring` may also be available to simulate the effect of a rubber.
For a variety of practical considerations, such systems are usually limited to producing a video picture of broadcast television standard but there are many purposes for which a picture of much higher resolution would be desirable.
The aim of the present invention is to provide an image creation system which can produce a picture of such higher resolution.
According to the present invention there is provided a video image creation system comprising:
input means for providing signals designating the address of a picture point,
selector means for selecting colour component signals pertaining to said picture point and a number of adjacent picture points,
buffer store means for storing the signals from said input means and said selector means prior to processing,
frame store means for storing processed picture point signals, said frame store means being capable of storing a large number of picture points capable of representing a picture of high resolution,
processing means for processing incoming picture point signals from said buffer store means with stored picture point signals from said frame store means,
output means for outputing picture point signals from said frame store means,
second frame store means for storing picture point signals representing a picture of lower resolution,
means for using same incoming picture point signals from said input means and said selector means for processing in real time with picture point signals stored in said second frame store means,
and display means for signals from second frame store means.
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided processing means which operate on the output of the said first frame store means to display a portion of the output on the display means at full resolution or to produce a compressed image from the frame store means so that the complete image or a portion of the image appears on the display means at low resolution.
The invention will now be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows the prior art system.
FIG. 2 shows examples of the luminance and intensity distributions and the arithmetic processor.
FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present inventions.
The invention relates to the creation of a video image with high resolution. This is achieved by programming a computer to produce high- resolution digital signals and to process the incoming video information so that an image with a large number of picture points is produced. As the processing is still done picture point by picture point and there are a large number of picture points to be processed the system will not operate in real time and a buffer store has to be provided to store the incoming information. The same incoming information can be used in real time processing to produce an image which may be displayed as it is being created. Thus an operator may use the touch tablet, as in the prior art system, to produce an image in real time, whilst a corresponding high- resolution image is being produced. The high-resolution image can then be stored in a frame store of large capacity and used in, say, printing.
FIG. 1 shows the prior art system which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,818. This system forms the real-time-processing part of the invention and will therefore be further described.
It has been found that to simulate the effect of an artists drafting implement e.g. paint brush, pencil etc., in a video image it is necessary to use a distribution of luminance, or chrominance levels for points adjacent to the point designated by the stylus. An example of such a distribution function can be seen at 4A and 5A in FIG. 2. The height K of the distribution function determines the relative contribution of the incoming information to the new picture point so that instead of getting a line with a sharp edge the video line will simulate the effect of the implement. A number of these distributions are stored in the form of 8 bit digital video signals with K<1 and these will correspond to the distributing power of different artists implements, the example in FIG. 2 being the distribution for a sharp pencil. It will be understood that signals having a value proportional to the amplitude of the function K are stored at respective locations of the RAM 4 in FIG. 1 the various locations being represented in FIG. 2 by the small square storing the distribution function K. To create an image the operator chooses an implement and also colour by means of keyboard 1 and by moving the stylus across the touch tablet 2 a sequence of groups of addresses are generated so that a corresponding stroke of the correct colour and characteristics will appear on display means 8.
The keyboard 1 generates digital signals which control the selection of the correct distribution signals to be loaded into RAM 4 and the colour or intensity components to be loaded in RAMs 5 by the computer 3. The signals used in the processing are 8 bit digital video signals. The signal from the keyboard also causes the computer to load the number of pixels to be processed in the patch into address generator 9, the patch size being varied, independence on the implement chosen. This is achieved by varying the number of locations addressed in the RAMs 4 and 5.
The processing will now be discussed with reference to the luminance path alone as the chrominance components are processed in the same way. The x, y co-ordinates of a point designated by the stylus and touch tablet are converted by the computer 3 and address generator 9 to the frame store address for the corner point designated. The address generator 9 also addresses points within the patch in RAM's 4 and 5A until all the patch has been accessed. The addressing system for addresses within the patch is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,818. As each point in the patch is addressed the value of K for that point from RAM 4 and also the intensity from RAM 5A are processed in processor 6A with the video signal from frame store 7A. FIG. 2 shows an example of the processor, which comprises in this case a digital subtractor 30, multiplier 31 and adder 32. It will be seen that the new video signal is made up of a portion of the incoming video signal and that stored at that point in the frame store 7A. The new video signal is KPL +(1-K) Lo when PL is the luminance accessed from RAM 5A and Lo is the stored picture point. This new picture point is stored in frame store 7A and can be displayed on display means 8 after combination in combiner 10 with the chrominance components. The address for the display is generated in address generator 13. The frame stores, processor and address generator are all known items of commerce for example those used in the equipment available under the trademark PAINTBOX from Quantel Ltd., Newbury, Berkshire, England. The frame stores are for example of the kind commonly used for televison purposes and have sufficient storage locations to produce images having a resolution comparable with that of broadcast television standards e.g. 525 lines at 30 frame/sec.
This processing continues until all the points in a patch have been processed and then the frame store address is moved to the next point that is designated by the touch tablet and a new patch is begun. This new patch will include some picture points from the previous patch but also some new picture points. The processing is done effectively in real time, in that pictures on the display are updated at the display frame rate and can thus normally keep up with the creation of the image as it is being `drawn` on the touch tablet, though there may be a short delay of the order of a multiple of the frame time.
FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the present invention with the FIG. 1 system being represented by the references 1-13 as before, showing only the path for one colour component.
The control signals are generated by the computer 3 in response to keyboard 1 and touch tablet 2, as in the prior art system and the real time processing proceeds as described previously. Reference numerals 15-21 identify components which form a system which is designed to use the incoming information and produce a video image with a large number of picture points and thus high resolution. As the number of picture points to be processed is much larger than in the real-time processing system this system is generally unable to operate in real time and so a buffer store 15 is provided to store the information from computer 3.
The computer controls the loading and accessing of chrominance, luminance and distribution signals loaded from RAM's 16 and 17, this information being processed picture point by picture point in processor18. The chrominance, luminance and distribution signals correspond to those held in RAM's 4 and 5 except that the number of picture points to be processed in each patch is obviously larger for the high-resolution processing assuming strokes to be of the same width.
The addressing and processing operates in the same manner as the system in FIG. 1 except that the picture points to be processed are for a picture of much higher spatial resolution and are greater in number. Each new picture point is again a combination of incoming video information and that stored in frame store 19, which is capable of storing a large number of picture points. A suitable capacity for frame store 19 would be 2560 picture points by 2048 lines which is approximately 13 times that of frame store 7 (assuming a line in store 7 has about 760 picture points). The computer 3 sends information on the x, y co-ordinates for that picture point designated on the touch tablet and also on the implement and colour chosen. The signals used in this system may also be 8-bit digital video signals and the address generator, processor and frame stores are again known items of commerce such as those used in said equipment available under the trademark PAINTBOX. The image produced by this system is stored in the frame store 19 and corresponds to that viewed on the screen but with a greater number of picture points.
In the video graphic system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,818 and illustrated in the lower half of FIG. 3 the limiting factor on the definition of the final picture is the maximum reading and writing rate of the frame stores 7. To produce pictures having a definition comparable with television pictures of broadcast standard in real time it is required to write and read at storage locations at rates up to around 15 MHz. The artist will in general produce the image using the stylus at an irregular rate and position signals generated by the touch tablet are supplied to a buffer store in the computer so that they can be read out at a more regular rate which must nevertheless be within the capacity of the signal processor to process, bearing in mind that each position signal may require the reading and writing at up to 4000 storage locations in the frame store 7, determined by the maximum patch size. Touch tablet stylus combinations are currently available commercially which are capable of generating position signals at much higher definitions, than required for producing pictures of broadcast television resolution and in the combined high- and low-definition graphic system shown in FIG. 3, the touch tablet stylus combination is capable of generating position signals at a definition adequate for the high-definition channel. If necessary the computer 3 may interpolate between successive position signals.
These high-definition position signals are applied to the buffer store in the computer 3, and are read then to the buffer store 15. Furthermore,a proportion of the position signals in the computer buffer areread to the address generator 9, at the rate required to create in framestore 7 a lower-resolution version of the image being produced in 19. The writing and reading rates of the stores 19, which are limited by their construction are nevertheless the same as the writing and reading rates of the stores 7, and therefore the rate of operation of the processors 18 is limited to approximately the same as that of the processor 6. Consequently as the production of a picture in real time on the display monitor 8 progresses, the generation of the high definition video signal, representing the same picture, falls behind, though it may catch up in intervals when the artist is inactive. The buffer store 15 has therefore to have a capacity sufficient to store position signals from the touch tablet 1 stylus for the maximum lag likely to be encountered in practice though signalling means may be provided to signal if the store 15 tends to overflow. While the image is being created by the artist he can observe the effect he is creating on the display means 8, effectively as he works, although the high definition video signals are lagging substantially behind the work.
The high resolution output of frame store 19 may now be recorded on a disc store and used for, say, directly controlling a color printing process or it may be processed as described below. A processor 22 is provided so that a portion of the image in frame store 19 corresponding to the size of the display screen can be displayed at full resolution. The processor selects an area in response to an address generated by address generator 9 which can be controlled fromeither touch tablet or keyboard and displays the area on display 8. Alternatively a larger area may be selected and compressed by the processor so that this may be displayed with a consequent loss of resolution. Processors capable of such selection and compression are well known, one example being the equipment available under the designation DPE 5000.
A high resolution picture monitor may be included in the high resolution graphic channel to display the high resolution picture when completed.
The system may also work in RGB or YUV components. The high-resolution picture may be read straight into a color printing scanner21 in which case the chrominance components may be at full bandwidth. The color printing scanner may be of well known construction.
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|Clasificación de EE.UU.||345/698, 345/179|
|Clasificación internacional||G06F3/048, G09G5/02, G06T1/00, G09G5/36, G09G1/16, G09G5/393, G06T11/00, G09G1/28, G06F3/153, G06T11/80, G09G5/377, G06F3/033|
|Clasificación cooperativa||G09G5/393, G06F3/04845|
|Clasificación europea||G06F3/0484M, G09G5/393|
|2 Oct 1985||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: QUANTEL LIMITED, KENLEY HOUSE, KENLEY LANE, KENLEY
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNORS:STAPLETON, ALAN L.;CATLOW, GEORGE W.;REEL/FRAME:004476/0604;SIGNING DATES FROM 19850830 TO 19850902
|20 Mar 1992||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|25 Mar 1996||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 8
|25 Abr 2000||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|1 Oct 2000||LAPS||Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees|
|5 Dic 2000||FP||Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee|
Effective date: 20001004